Creighton vs. Nebraska: Creighton and Nebraska have met 38 times, with the Huskers getting the best of the exchange thus far, 27-11. Saturday will be Creighton’s first trip to Nebraska’s new home, Pinnacle Bank Arena. Creighton earned a 66-57 win last season in Omaha, breaking a string of seven straight victories for Nebraska.

The Bluejays own one victory over the Huskers in Lincoln, that coming on Dec. 10, 1993 (97-64). The last meeting in Lincoln was a 66-55 win for the Huskers on Dec. 8, 2011.

Picked to win the Big Ten, Nebraska opened the season with five straight wins, including a lopsided win over UCLA (77-49) to open the 2013-14 campaign. The Huskers suffered consecutive setbacks against Washington State (76-72) and at North Carolina (75-62) on Nov. 30 and Dec. 4, but rebounded to down Utah State, 95-75, on Dec. 8.

Senior Jordan Hooper is undoubtedly the key to Nebraska, averaging 21.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. The Huskers, however, are much more than a one woman show. Junior Emily Cady (13.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg) and sophomroe Rachel Theriot (12.2 ppg, 53 assists) give Nebraska a tremendous amount of balance on the offensive end.

As a team, Nebraska is shooting 45% as a team, including 30.4% from beyond the arc.

Keys to the Game w/Nebraska:

Slow down Hooper: Last season Creighton held her scoreless. While that is unlikely to happen, the Bluejays must make Hooper give up the ball as she has just 12 assists on the season to go with 18 turnovers.

Get Nelson going: Sarah Nelson is a focal point for Creighton, when she plays well so do the Bluejays. Over her career, Nelson has been a disributor against the Huskers (12 assists to five turnovers in three games). Saturday she must take on a larger scoring role.

Force Turnovers & Take Advantage: Creighton is averaging 15 forced turnovers a game, while Nebraska has turned it over 153 times (17 per game). The Bluejays must create turnovers and turn those into points.

Prevent Scoring Draughts: Creighton has been plagued by its offense going cold for extended periods of time through the 2013-14 season. In five of eight games Creighton has gone scoreless for a stretch of at least five minues. The other three games featured, three points or less during stretches of 6-8 minutes.

The Ties that Bind: Creighton & NebraskaIt is said that familiarity breeds contempt, the Huskers and Bluejays have an abundance of the former.

Connie Yori graduated from Creighton in 1986. She was one of the most decorated Bluejays on the court, scoring 2,010 points in her four-years (1982-86).

She is one of just two players in Creighton history to have her number retired, the other being Tanya Warren.

Jim Flanery graduated from Creighton in 1987, playing 1985-87.

Yori & Flanery both served as assistant coaches to current Creighton Athletic Director, Bruce Rasmussen, from 1987-90.

Yori hired Flanery as an assistant coach during her first head coaching position at Loras College (1990-1992).

The duo returned to Creighton when Yori replaced Rasmussen as the Creighton head coach in 1992.

Yori was the Bluejay head coach from 1992-2002.

Flanery was an assistant for Yori throughout her tenure at Creighton.

Nebraska assistant coach Danya Finch, graduated from Creighton in 2004. She served as an assistant coach for Flanery from 2008-2010, before joining the Nebraska staff.

Creighton senior Alyssa Kampaus played high school ball at Seward HS with current Huskers, Emily Cady and Hannah Tvrdy.

Husker Athletic Trainer Julie Tuttle owns degrees and has served as an athletic trainer at both schools.

Cracking the Code of the RankedAfter opening his career 1-17 against opponents ranked in the AP top-25, coach Flanery has won two of his last four meetings with ranked opponents. He holds a 3-19 record in 22 contests.

Been a While Since Creighton Went Back-to-Back on the Huskers The last time Creighton won consecutive games with Nebraska was also the only time the Bluejays won in Lincoln, 1993 & 1994. Creighton claimed a 97-64 contest (Dec. 10, 1993) in Lincoln, then bested the Huskers by a 76-69 score on Dec. 28, 1994.

Common OpponentsCreighton and Nebraska share two opponennts during the 2013-14 season, South Dakota and Minnesota. The Bluejays bested both, downing the Coyotes (63-48 on Nov. 26) and the Golden Gophers (63-52 on Nov. 16. Nebraska hosts South Dakota on Dec. 21, then welcomes Minnesota on Jan. 16.

Battling the Big TenSaturday’s game with Nebraska will mark Creighton’s third meeting against the Huskers as members of the Big Ten Conference. In addition it is Creighton’s second Big Ten opponent of the season. The Bluejays downed Minnesota, 63-52, on Nov. 16.